Monday, March 19, 2018

Why I still have NBSB




I'm 25 and never had a boyfriend. Why?

The old me:  "I'm not pretty enough".

 If  I were the old me, I would repeatedly tell myself "It's because you're  not pretty enough, not good enough. There's something really wrong with you!"

It was so dreadful. It wasn't really easy for the younger me because I believed back then that life is all about education and a boyfriend (really). I remember being so desperate. Those who knew me then would agree with  this. I remember asking my PolGov professor one day with this question  (out of nowhere),

"Sir....magkaka boyfriend po ba ko sir?"

 and his response was out of this world (mind you haha),

 "Oo naman, mas maganda ka pa sa kalabasa"!


What does he mean? At least for me, it means,  I'm not as pretty as the other girls. I continued thinking "No one will love me. I must not have any standards na. Basta lalaki okay na!"




In between: "I have to meet Love Himself first "


When I was 18 though and in the midst of all these insecurities,  I met Someone. Someone that made me realize that there's really something wrong with me (sin) , but He took care of it already. Someone who told me that I'm beautiful twice over (because He created me and saved me). Someone who said with His life and blood that I'm precious and worth dying for. (I'm honestly so kilig writing this! HAHA!) I met the BEST MAN ever. My THE ONE - JESUS CHRIST.

 I'm THAT BEAUTIFUL to  HIM? I'm THAT PRECIOUS  to HIM? SOMEONE LOVES ME?  WOW.

I slowly shrugged the thought that I'm not pretty or good enough. (slowly, yes, it took years and years for me to fully embrace who He says I am because there are times that insecurity creeps in. I'm grateful that He keeps on reminding me of His love and my identity in Him.) I learned the process of taking my eyes off myself and what's  beautiful for the world and look to Him.


"This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!"  2 Corinthians 5:17


The new me.


 It's surprising that nowadays people were surprised whenever they would discover that I never had a boyfriend nor a suitor (YES!) I hear them say , "Weh? di nga? baka hindi mo na agad pinapansin", " Irereto kita sa pinsan ko teacher!"  or "siguro ang taas taas ng standards mo."

STANDARDS. The old me didn't have this but now, Yes, I do have. I do have high standards - God's standards: Someone who also met Love Himself  in between and loves Him more than  he could ever love anyone (even me).

I'm 25 and never had a boyfriend. Why?

1. God is molding me. He's really doing a big work in my heart. I have to be molded to the woman God wants me to be. A woman who's so whole and complete in Him. A woman whose pursuit is His purposes.


"... people used to tell me the best way to prepare for marriage was to date around and to get into all of these short-term flings. I learned the hard way that that wasn’t true, but what I did realize in that season of my life was that the best way that I could prepare for marriage truly was to learn how to find my fulfillment in Christ, how to make Him my First Love, how to cultivate that spiritual purity in my life where He was my All in all."  - Leslie Ludy



2. He's prepared a man for me. My MOG. Not an other half but an equal match. He is also whole and complete in Him. No need to settle for anything less than what He wants for me - His best. I'm sure He is still doing a big work in his heart too (hehe).


3. It's not yet His time. I know He knows when it is the sweetest. Just like what is written in the book of Ecclesiastes, "He has made everything beautiful in its time". 3:11a


If it's His will, walang makakapigil.
If not, we surrender to His good, pleasing and perfect will. :")

I really dread letting others know that I have NBSB but now,  I'm surprisingly joyful. I think I wouldn't have it any other way.  I'm amazed. As I look back,  it was like my THE ONE protected me all along and ensured  na Sya ang magiging FIRST SUITOR,  LOVE at YES  ko.

 I'm glad that He is.

And for you, princess, whatever status you're in, whatever the condition of your heart right now -hopeless or hopeful, shattering or healing.... it's not too late. One day,  you will also meet THE ONE in between. The One who loved you first. He loved you first. He's fighting for that moment.

Let Him love your first.

"Let Him love you first.

Before you allow the right guy to pursue you, give your yes to the Lord first.

Because God wants to show you how you should be loved.

He wants to give you heaven and earth before anyone can promise you the sun and the moon.

He wants you to experience his genuine intention to serenade you with His goodness and mercy.

He wants to rejoice with you and quiet you with His love.

He longs to have a lot of your “firsts.” - Joena San Diego 


It's such a beautiful beautiful Love story. You and Jesus.


P.S.

 And Only He knows when the heart is ready for the second one. :")


Photo by Blubel on Unsplash

Thursday, March 1, 2018

To the girl who just met Jesus






I've seen the oceans, the mountains and the snow. But you, accepting Jesus, is still the greatest sight to behold.

I'm excited for you.

You smiled beautifully when we first met. I asked if you've been coming often and you said it's your third. I'm excited. I asked how old you are and you said "Fifteen".  I'm so excited for you. I'm too excited for you.

We're about to sing a song that speaks gratitude for His love -  "Beautiful Love" and you whispered to me "Ate, favorite ko yan". I'm excited. I'm so excited for you. I'm too excited for you.

At the end of the most beautiful message of all time, the message of His great love and great plan to save you.  You responded. You responded to His great love.  I'm excited. I'm so excited for you. I'm too excited for you.

My heart beats fast.. oh girl.. Do you have any idea what awaits?

You will finally stop waiting to know your identity.

You will finally stop seeking  love in other places.

You will finally stop trusting in yourself and your good works .

You will finally stop being out of place.

You will finally stop wondering if you have value.

You will finally stop compromising.

You will finally stop being hopeless.

You will finally stop waiting to be complete.

You will finally stop searching for happiness in circumstances

You will finally stop living for yourself.

You  will finally know more about this God who loved you first.
The God who never stopped loving you and never will.

Oh, I'm rushing things here! Know that I'm just  excited. I'm so excited for you. I'm too excited for you.

Some of these things will happen in an instant,  but most will be a process.
A beautiful process that you will not trade for anything.

My hearts leaps as I remember myself in you.
I'm excited. I'm so excited for you. I'm too excited for you.

Oh the places you will go!
Oh the faith that will arise!
Oh the calling that you will answer!
Oh the love that you will give away!
Oh the prayers that you will utter.
Oh the relationships that you'll have!
Oh the dates that you'll have with our  Daddy God.
Oh this great adventure with our Savior.

Every moment will be red-letter.
And you will know that He's the sweetest.





But little sister, it'll not be easy. There are times that it'll be bumpy and stormy.
Be still. Know. Know that He is God. He is God. He will forever be.
And this awesome, loving, mighty, powerful God is in you, with you and gone ahead of you.
He will never let go of your hand.

Be encouraged. Nothing in this world will ever separate you from His love.

Can I just pray for you?

Daddy God,

I thank You. I thank You for the life of this girl who just met You and accepted Jesus as her Lord and Savior. I thank You  for orchestrating this moment from the beginning of time. I'm excited. I'm so excited for her. I'm too excited for the both of you. I'm excited of how You will mold her. I'm excited of what she'll become in Your love.

I know, You will always be her best "Yes".  I pray that You'll just give her the grace  to choose You everyday, to love You and other people more and more each day. May You strengthen her and train her for battles. May You surround her with people who will walk this journey together. May You save her family. May You use her mightily for Your Kingdom.

Thank You, for NOTHING in this world will ever separate her  from Your love.  In Jesus' Name I pray. Amen!

To the girl who just met Jesus,

May your soul forever sing your "favorite" song:

Oh what love, how can it be?
From that cross You looked at me
Oh what love, poured out for me
What a beautiful love

Love
So glorious
Came down unashamed, You called me Yours
Caught up in Your grace, You're all I need
There's nothing more beautiful than Your love

(Beautiful Love by Victory Worship) 


To the girl who just met Jesus,

Remember not to forget.
Never give in to familiarity.
Never ever forget His love. The love that saves. The loves that secures.

The love that cost Jesus His blood and life.

The love that's for you.

Personally.


 I'm excited for you. I'm so excited for you. I'm too excited for you to be a princess in awe.


                                                                                 Love,
                                                                                  Ate Ycah 


*Photo by Bruno Nascimento on Unsplash

Monday, March 19, 2018

Why I still have NBSB




I'm 25 and never had a boyfriend. Why?

The old me:  "I'm not pretty enough".

 If  I were the old me, I would repeatedly tell myself "It's because you're  not pretty enough, not good enough. There's something really wrong with you!"

It was so dreadful. It wasn't really easy for the younger me because I believed back then that life is all about education and a boyfriend (really). I remember being so desperate. Those who knew me then would agree with  this. I remember asking my PolGov professor one day with this question  (out of nowhere),

"Sir....magkaka boyfriend po ba ko sir?"

 and his response was out of this world (mind you haha),

 "Oo naman, mas maganda ka pa sa kalabasa"!


What does he mean? At least for me, it means,  I'm not as pretty as the other girls. I continued thinking "No one will love me. I must not have any standards na. Basta lalaki okay na!"




In between: "I have to meet Love Himself first "


When I was 18 though and in the midst of all these insecurities,  I met Someone. Someone that made me realize that there's really something wrong with me (sin) , but He took care of it already. Someone who told me that I'm beautiful twice over (because He created me and saved me). Someone who said with His life and blood that I'm precious and worth dying for. (I'm honestly so kilig writing this! HAHA!) I met the BEST MAN ever. My THE ONE - JESUS CHRIST.

 I'm THAT BEAUTIFUL to  HIM? I'm THAT PRECIOUS  to HIM? SOMEONE LOVES ME?  WOW.

I slowly shrugged the thought that I'm not pretty or good enough. (slowly, yes, it took years and years for me to fully embrace who He says I am because there are times that insecurity creeps in. I'm grateful that He keeps on reminding me of His love and my identity in Him.) I learned the process of taking my eyes off myself and what's  beautiful for the world and look to Him.


"This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!"  2 Corinthians 5:17


The new me.


 It's surprising that nowadays people were surprised whenever they would discover that I never had a boyfriend nor a suitor (YES!) I hear them say , "Weh? di nga? baka hindi mo na agad pinapansin", " Irereto kita sa pinsan ko teacher!"  or "siguro ang taas taas ng standards mo."

STANDARDS. The old me didn't have this but now, Yes, I do have. I do have high standards - God's standards: Someone who also met Love Himself  in between and loves Him more than  he could ever love anyone (even me).

I'm 25 and never had a boyfriend. Why?

1. God is molding me. He's really doing a big work in my heart. I have to be molded to the woman God wants me to be. A woman who's so whole and complete in Him. A woman whose pursuit is His purposes.


"... people used to tell me the best way to prepare for marriage was to date around and to get into all of these short-term flings. I learned the hard way that that wasn’t true, but what I did realize in that season of my life was that the best way that I could prepare for marriage truly was to learn how to find my fulfillment in Christ, how to make Him my First Love, how to cultivate that spiritual purity in my life where He was my All in all."  - Leslie Ludy



2. He's prepared a man for me. My MOG. Not an other half but an equal match. He is also whole and complete in Him. No need to settle for anything less than what He wants for me - His best. I'm sure He is still doing a big work in his heart too (hehe).


3. It's not yet His time. I know He knows when it is the sweetest. Just like what is written in the book of Ecclesiastes, "He has made everything beautiful in its time". 3:11a


If it's His will, walang makakapigil.
If not, we surrender to His good, pleasing and perfect will. :")

I really dread letting others know that I have NBSB but now,  I'm surprisingly joyful. I think I wouldn't have it any other way.  I'm amazed. As I look back,  it was like my THE ONE protected me all along and ensured  na Sya ang magiging FIRST SUITOR,  LOVE at YES  ko.

 I'm glad that He is.

And for you, princess, whatever status you're in, whatever the condition of your heart right now -hopeless or hopeful, shattering or healing.... it's not too late. One day,  you will also meet THE ONE in between. The One who loved you first. He loved you first. He's fighting for that moment.

Let Him love your first.

"Let Him love you first.

Before you allow the right guy to pursue you, give your yes to the Lord first.

Because God wants to show you how you should be loved.

He wants to give you heaven and earth before anyone can promise you the sun and the moon.

He wants you to experience his genuine intention to serenade you with His goodness and mercy.

He wants to rejoice with you and quiet you with His love.

He longs to have a lot of your “firsts.” - Joena San Diego 


It's such a beautiful beautiful Love story. You and Jesus.


P.S.

 And Only He knows when the heart is ready for the second one. :")


Photo by Blubel on Unsplash

Thursday, March 1, 2018

To the girl who just met Jesus






I've seen the oceans, the mountains and the snow. But you, accepting Jesus, is still the greatest sight to behold.

I'm excited for you.

You smiled beautifully when we first met. I asked if you've been coming often and you said it's your third. I'm excited. I asked how old you are and you said "Fifteen".  I'm so excited for you. I'm too excited for you.

We're about to sing a song that speaks gratitude for His love -  "Beautiful Love" and you whispered to me "Ate, favorite ko yan". I'm excited. I'm so excited for you. I'm too excited for you.

At the end of the most beautiful message of all time, the message of His great love and great plan to save you.  You responded. You responded to His great love.  I'm excited. I'm so excited for you. I'm too excited for you.

My heart beats fast.. oh girl.. Do you have any idea what awaits?

You will finally stop waiting to know your identity.

You will finally stop seeking  love in other places.

You will finally stop trusting in yourself and your good works .

You will finally stop being out of place.

You will finally stop wondering if you have value.

You will finally stop compromising.

You will finally stop being hopeless.

You will finally stop waiting to be complete.

You will finally stop searching for happiness in circumstances

You will finally stop living for yourself.

You  will finally know more about this God who loved you first.
The God who never stopped loving you and never will.

Oh, I'm rushing things here! Know that I'm just  excited. I'm so excited for you. I'm too excited for you.

Some of these things will happen in an instant,  but most will be a process.
A beautiful process that you will not trade for anything.

My hearts leaps as I remember myself in you.
I'm excited. I'm so excited for you. I'm too excited for you.

Oh the places you will go!
Oh the faith that will arise!
Oh the calling that you will answer!
Oh the love that you will give away!
Oh the prayers that you will utter.
Oh the relationships that you'll have!
Oh the dates that you'll have with our  Daddy God.
Oh this great adventure with our Savior.

Every moment will be red-letter.
And you will know that He's the sweetest.





But little sister, it'll not be easy. There are times that it'll be bumpy and stormy.
Be still. Know. Know that He is God. He is God. He will forever be.
And this awesome, loving, mighty, powerful God is in you, with you and gone ahead of you.
He will never let go of your hand.

Be encouraged. Nothing in this world will ever separate you from His love.

Can I just pray for you?

Daddy God,

I thank You. I thank You for the life of this girl who just met You and accepted Jesus as her Lord and Savior. I thank You  for orchestrating this moment from the beginning of time. I'm excited. I'm so excited for her. I'm too excited for the both of you. I'm excited of how You will mold her. I'm excited of what she'll become in Your love.

I know, You will always be her best "Yes".  I pray that You'll just give her the grace  to choose You everyday, to love You and other people more and more each day. May You strengthen her and train her for battles. May You surround her with people who will walk this journey together. May You save her family. May You use her mightily for Your Kingdom.

Thank You, for NOTHING in this world will ever separate her  from Your love.  In Jesus' Name I pray. Amen!

To the girl who just met Jesus,

May your soul forever sing your "favorite" song:

Oh what love, how can it be?
From that cross You looked at me
Oh what love, poured out for me
What a beautiful love

Love
So glorious
Came down unashamed, You called me Yours
Caught up in Your grace, You're all I need
There's nothing more beautiful than Your love

(Beautiful Love by Victory Worship) 


To the girl who just met Jesus,

Remember not to forget.
Never give in to familiarity.
Never ever forget His love. The love that saves. The loves that secures.

The love that cost Jesus His blood and life.

The love that's for you.

Personally.


 I'm excited for you. I'm so excited for you. I'm too excited for you to be a princess in awe.


                                                                                 Love,
                                                                                  Ate Ycah 


*Photo by Bruno Nascimento on Unsplash